Kawaguchi Reigns at Deep Megaton GP Finals

TOKYO -- Just when you thought Japan had started to take its mixed
martial arts too seriously, Deep president Shigeru Saeki put an end
to that notion with the Megaton Grand Prix 2008 Finals on Saturday
at Shinjuku Face. It was MMA for the heftier person, featuring
heavyweight fighters and heavyweight ring girls; heavyweight fans
got drinks free.

For tournament favorite Yusuke
Kawaguchi(Pictures), the finals were no different
than the rest of his Megaton matches, as he went on the offensive
with a flurry of punches while the opening bell was still ringing.
Shunsuke
Inoue(Pictures) -- cornered by UFC and Pride
Fighting Championships veteran Kazuhiro
Nakamura(Pictures) -- was up to the challenge,
however, and held his ground, as he delivered a crushing right hand
that floored Kawaguchi early.

The reasonably in shape Kawaguchi recovered, as he returned to his
feet and attempted the same flurry. Inoue again landed with the
counter right, but Kawaguchi withstood his power and dropped the
Yoshida Dojo student to the mat briefly. Inoue mounted some offense
later in the round, as he landed a trip takedown and delivered hard
shots to the body from inside the clinch as the bell rang. For the
first time in the tournament, the undefeated Kawaguchi was pushed
into the second round.

The problem with Kawaguchi’s game plan to run at his opponent and
punch in bunches became apparent in round two when a hard low kick
dropped him to the canvas. Inoue attempted to follow it up and
secure solid positioning but, in the process, ate a barrage of
hammer fists that caused him to abort his plan.

With the fighters back on their feet, Kawaguchi took a knee just
below the midsection, a development that allowed both men ample
time to rest. Kawaguchi soon resumed his plan to press forward, as
he absorbed the low kicks Inoue dished out. A failed hip toss put
Inoue on the bottom and in danger of being stopped with punches. In
the final seconds, he reversed the position and finished the fight
in mount, where he returned the favor.

The fans saw it as a close fight, as did the judges, who awarded
Kawaguchi a split decision. Along with the grand prix belt,
Kawaguchi was rewarded for his efforts in true Megaton style -- he
received a side of beef, free meals at a steak house and a case of
water to wash it all down.

Kawaguchi’s game plan proved less than stellar in his semi-final
match, as he again came out with his initial burst, only to be
countered with a right hand. From the clinch, however, he secured a
body lock takedown and, from guard and side control, pounded out
Shunji Kosaka for the TKO stoppage in the first round.

In Inoue’s semi-final bout, the Yoshida Dojo student opened up with
a strong low kick that dropped his portly opponent, Ken Orihashi(Pictures). Attempting to recover, Orihashi
shot in for the double-leg takedown, only to get countered with a
guillotine choke attempt and, soon after, a crucifix. Orihashi was
later caught in mount, and Inoue finished him with an armbar before
the end of round one.

Elsewhere, Wakaarachi utilized straight rights against southpaw
Mamoru
Nakamura(Pictures) in the Megaton Grand Prix reserve
match and earned a win in the first round, although it came in
interesting fashion. After a stiff right floored Nakamura,
Wakaarachi followed him down and landed in a painful, self-imposed
omaplata as the referee called the knockout.

Back down at welterweight, Satoru Yamada and Royji Suzuki battled
to a majority draw, as neither man effectively employed his game
plan. Yamada’s strategy was clear from the outset, as he wanted no
part of the stand-up action and jumped to guard several times.
Suzuki was not willing to comply, however, as he defended well on
the ground and landed some strikes to force the draw.

In the event’s tag team grappling tournament, Kohei Yasumi(Pictures) and Naoya
Uematsu(Pictures) steamrolled the competition and
met Daichi
Fujiwara(Pictures) and Takushi Hasegawa in the
final. There, the veterans doled out more punishment, as Yasumi
submitted Fujiwara with a North/South choke and Uematsu tapped out
Hasegawa with a straight ankle lock.

An “Old Man Grappling Match” rounded out the show and allowed one
of Japan’s premiere referees, Samio Kimura, to see things from a
different point of view. He dominated the position battle against
curry restaurant owner Shinichiro Eguchi en route to a second-round
armbar victory.